​Journal.

I'm both nervous & excited to share that Module 1 of the CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP is now available as a mini 'workshops' online through Etsy here. Each module will be an instant download which consists of a PDF that includes links to short videos. As I had mentioned previously in my newsletters, there will be 12 modules available as follows:

This is the 9th year I've had the privilege of glazing a bowl for the annual Airdrie FoodBank Empty Bowls fundraiser (unfortunately I didn't get a photo the first year). I decided to focus on the fireweed that has been growing in abundance throughout the Rocky Mountains this year. This collaboration is something I look forward to every year, it really is wonderful to be able to contribute to my community in this way. This year's family fun event will be held at the FoodBank on September 21, 2019.

Over the past few years I have really put a lot more thought into the colours I use, particularly when creating portraits & skin tones. About a year ago I stumbled onto Jane Davenport acrylics, and the colours have been a wonderful addition to my palette even though the paint can appear a bit flat with no sheen, but I'm fine with that. .....Now that I've painted well over 200 portraits as well as the 'Fashion Plates' series that also incorporates skin tones, I have begun documenting my colour palette. The Jane Davenport colours have blended quite seamlessly and have actually helped me in my colour mixing a great deal......My basic portrait palette includes whites (unbleached & titanium), alizarin crimson (or quinacridone magenta), cadmum-free orange (and/or cad-free yellow medium), burnt umber, prussian blue, dioxazine purple, and bright aqua green. These colours tend to shift a bit depending on the originsl skin tones of the subject and the light and on occasion I also incorporate pthalo green (blue shade) and vivid lime green occasionally......The Jane Davenport paints were purchased at Michaels and the Liquitex at are available at any art supply stores.

Now, along with the Painting Bees & Altered Books mini eCourses that are available online through ETSY here, there are now 2 more workshops available. Connecting with Your Wild Spirit was inspired by the 52 WEEKS::Totem Animals series and a portrait painting workshop was inspired by the 52 WEEKS::Heroes series. There is more information available on ETSY here.

I just noticed that I hadn't shared a completed photo of the 30 day WUNDERLAND project. This one was fun. Definitely not as intimidating as the 52 WEEKS projects nor the 100 Day Nasty Women project (whew!). To see them all separately visit my portfolio here and click on each image if you'd like to read the quotes. A huge 'Thank you!' to everyone who has purchased one of the portraits...you have made my day....my summer actually. Something I'm especially grateful for is the fact that not only do I love creating bodies of work in a series, but receive so much encouragement in the process. I really do appreciate it.

This is one of the places you'll often find me when I'm painting...I actually use my entire house (except for our bedroom...you can't really wipe acrylic paint off of bedding). This is also why I love my little Judson's paint box as I can move it anywhere I want. Occasionally I work in the dining room, often in the kitchen (on smaller projects...great for cooking dinner), sometimes on the back deck, once in awhile in the front yard (I have two Adirondack chairs out front which I have painted), but mostly in my studio. I find when the weather gets warm I just want to move into direct sunlight (our livingroom bay window is south facing) since I my studio is in our basement. Don't get me wrong, it is cozy down there and I do have a nice sized space, but there are times I just need to move around a bit. I find that it helps me to stay motivated, too, since I keep work in progress on our hearth where I end up looking at it a lot. I also have two small rag rugs that I typically carry around to cover my furnishings...but I just noticed it's not on the hearth in this photo. Oops!

One of the best things to have come out of the Nasty Women project has been seeing the portraits travel to their new homes. This particular piece is now living at the Sobey Cancer Support in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Carol Ann is such an amazing woman...she is the recipient of the Order of Canada as she has raised well over a million dollars for cancer research. I feel so fortunate and very privileged that she reached out to me when I was about to begin my project.

So, last month my daughter had her hand-stamped dresses using environmentally friendly fabrics exhibited in a fashion show at the grand re-opening of Victoria International Marina. I love being able to collaborate on projects with her as I really, really enjoy carving stamps but don't tend to use them. I also created the painting titled 'Under the Sea' which incorporated these same shapes for their fundraiser all about caring for our planet. My daughter has posted a bit about the fashion show on her blog (here) but will be sharing more once she receives the professional photographs.

A couple of weeks ago I was comparing different acrylic paints, one of them being the Artist's Loft heavy body acrylics from Michaels. I find these colours to be rather transparent (which isn't good when I want opacity) while not being transparent enough (like my Liquitex heavy body that I love) and a little slimy which makes them difficult to mix. They have been great for creating my layers of underpainting, which is fabulous as it does save me a little in the financial department (painting every day can be quite expensive). The other paints I like to use for underpainting are Brea Reese professional acrylics from WalMart and a few craft paints, though they tend to be rather chalky and better for altered books. Finally, I'm loving the Jane Davenport acrylics for portraits...really nice skin tones to mix with my Liquietex.

Awhile ago I was in need of gesso but my local art supply store had run out of the professional grade so I picked up the student grade Basics gesso. Unfortunately it isn't opaque and is actually a bit gloopy (I'm not sure if I explained that well) but I'm finding that it works great to create drawings for my paintings. It wipes off quite easily if I'm not satisfied with my initial drawing and if I wet and wipe it immediately and it also blends well into top layers of paint. So, I guess it's not a bad thing...just not quite as useful for what I had intended.